Call their bluff

It is an option

A vein on his neck pulsed vigorously. Would not have surprised me if it burst. His breathing had quickened too.

It was obvious something had changed with that fourth spade arriving on the river.

My opponent across the green felt had called my bet pre-flop, called flop, called blank turn, and finally check-raised the river, big.

But I still had top pair, top kicker.

Was he nervous because he was trying to bluff me, or nervous because he’d hit his flush draw and was hoping to get paid?

I was stubborn and called. He had the flush. (And flush down the john went my money.)

Because you don’t find out what they had unless you do. (But when you pay enough, you do learn to see the patterns and don’t have to call every time.)

This is relevant in many areas of life.

And with regard to threats of lawsuit…

Often the threat of a lawsuit is stronger than the actual suit.

The person threatening it suggests some action is improper and that they would sue if an action is taken.

Of course, we don’t know for certain if they would.

We would never know unless their bluff is called.

I’m not big on courts… we’ve gone far away from a jury of peers and the self-governance concepts, which I do like.

Many of the current courts are quite backward, sideways, upside-down… they seem to benefit the lawyers and those behind the courts, etc. There’s a whole discussion about how these current courts operate. And then the judge could be corrupt or influenced or even pressured to make a decision that goes against the facts.

If someone ever suggested they would sue me if I didn’t stop writing, for example, about how the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State is involved in election interference, has been for years, as I’ve done on this blog and Project Minnesota in [S]elections in Minnesota, I’d probably call their bluff and keep writing.

I recently went to three cities/townships in three counties to talk about expanding post-election reviews of voting systems, outlined in statute here. One clerk said they’d heard from the OSS that this (expanding) was not permitted. This suggestion wasn’t in writing, only on the phone. But it was made.

Should the OSS be trying to influence local election clerks, town boards, and city councils?

One of the OSS’s recent trainings, a continuing education for all clerks statewide, said their office does not provide legal advice. Well… neither do I! And yet I can read. And interpret what I’ve read or seen.

In 2022 I suggested to one group of town board supervisors in Anoka County that their biggest hurdle was going to be the OSS. One of the supervisors piped up: We don’t have a problem with the Secretary of State. And yet, what I said then is proving true, in spades.

Any local action to protect the righteousness of the process has so far and likely will be interfered with.

One county in 2022 that wanted to do an audit…

Two townships in 2022 that wanted to hand count…

Several cities in 2024 that want to expand the post-election review hand count…

Are all these places and people really going to get sued for trying to the right thing?

Maybe, maybe not.

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Back to the discussion about calling bluffs…

Because a lawsuit wouldn’t work, such negative entities/forces are likely to use (or perhaps have already been using) other methods to deter me and you from learning and seeking remedy.

The problem for the OSS is that they have too many strikes against them when it comes to election interference. And the people are becoming less afraid of them. And local elected public servants are learning about this too.

The OSS really is the root of the problem, and those who own that office, so to speak. The current Secretary is merely a kind of actor, a puppet. Sadly, he is a slave to the opposition to righteousness. Maybe the worst place to be.

So maybe I shouldn’t be too hard on him.

Except that he is damming up our river, blocking its flow.

The river of elections, which help us choose our public servants. Public servants who make decisions affecting all of us each day, every day.

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